Southern Sites on Little Cayman?

[BDSC]

I know when folks go to Little Cayman they expect to dive the northern sites along Bloody Bay Wall. No doubt they are great sites and I have enjoyed diving them.

But does anyone have any experience diving some of the southern sites that are right out in front of some of the major resorts like Pirates Point or Little Cayman Beach Resort?

I know the waters tend to be calmer and flat around the point on the north side and I suppose that's one reason why everyone goes there but with the southern sites not being visited nearly as much, I'd think they would be really good diving but maybe not.

Any experience?

 

[reefduffer]

We were at LCBR in November, trip report at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ca...tle-cayman-beach-resort-11-11-11-19-09-a.html

Conditions kept us on the south side sites for 11 of 19 dives. It's shallower and not nearly as dramatic, or frankly, interesting, as the north side walls but it was pleasant diving. A lot of desert-like sandy bottoms heavily dotted with pretty large coral heads with lots of variety. Plenty of smaller fish doing their thing. A few deeper canyons at some sites. Some smaller swim-throughs.

 

[zf2nt]

The south side sites are great sites! The only problem with them is that entry from shore is extremely difficult, so I never do them. Ryan Lawson, who was the manager of dive ops at LCBR a few years ago, told me of a way he had found to get out from shore. He's the only one I know who ever made that claim. I tried multiple times, but never found a way to do it. Ergo, it has to be done from a boat.

The south side sites come in two flavors: shallow and deep. The shallow sites sit just off the ironshore, and are all of a finger and groove type formation. The fingers run out to the south, and in between fingers you have a sand bottom. In close to shore, the reef connects the fingers. The depths run from about 25' to 40' or so.

If you continue on to the south from one of the fingers, you will eventually get to the main wall, which plunges way deep. This is the edge of the Cayman Trench, so I do mean WAY deep. It's not a wall, the way you find in Bloody Bay, but it is a very steep slope in places. The topography there can be quite dramatic. When you do one of the deep sites, you will find the end of the mooring line in about 60' of water. That's kind of a problem, because there's nothing to do but come up when you run out of NDL. The boats will usually do one of the deep sites as the first dive of the day, then come in to a shallow site for the second dive. On the shallow sites, the problem is always that the divers tend to get lost. If you just count how many fingers you cross as you make your way down the inner reef, then come back over the same number of fingers, then you won't have a problem. But people get out there and don't pay attention, then come up way away from the boat...or on the wrong boat.

People visiting Little Cayman always want to go to the north side, because that's what gets the most press. But I think the south side sites are just as interesting. However, you'll find the boats going there only when there's a north wind making the north side of the island too rough.

Bruce

 

[BDSC]

Thanks Bruce and Reefduffer!

I would imagine we will do all of our dives on the north sites but if it's nice out there one day, I wouldn't mind doing one or two on the south. But it's all good no matter where we end up!

 

[nipi]

We have shore dived all the sites south of Pirates Point in Preston Bay. There are a couple of obvious entry points south of Pirates Point but the best access is down the track that was cut a number of years ago from the sea side of the airstrip road down to the shore when that tug was grounded there. It's sort of opposite the windsock on the runway. Ironshore entries so booties are needed.

Another good shore dive is right off Paradise Villas - surface swim out to the main wall marker (cannot recall the name - could be Harold's Holes), turn right on the main wall & there's some nice chutes & tunnels, return to the marker & then swim in over the sand flats & over a large coral head & you can visit the Soto Trader en route back to shore. Chilled Stripe at the Ig. Can be a rip here & left to right surface current (looking from shore).

Have also shore dived Rockhouse Wall on the south side - drive a couple of miles east of Kingston Bight & there's a (blue?) house on the shore with a sort of thatched gazebo/bar next to it where you enter. Have to say that this was a long swim for not the best dive LCM has to offer.

Have not looked at going out from the Beach Resort but have considered swimming over to Owen Island fom Southern Cross, yomping round it & then swimming out to the markers there. Going over again in May so we shall see.

 

[caymaniac]

Have not looked at going out from the Beach Resort but have considered swimming over to Owen Island fom Southern Cross, yomping round it & then swimming out to the markers there. Going over again in May so we shall see.

I tried this about 15 years ago, there wasn't anything around Owen, it still is a ways to the reef from there, nothing exciting.

 

[jdcpa]

If you are going to shore dive the south side of LC, you will need to get to the western side where the barrier reef either comes closer to shore or is gone.

That means you need to be no further east that Hungry Iguana, where you can go out the "Fishermans cut" or better yet, at Pirates Point or even further west.

Just west of Poirates Point, there is a sandy access of sorts across from the airport that you can drive a vehicle in to a point and then walk down to the beach. It is pretty easy to see and noticably a road of sorts. It is sandy for the most part. Park at the top of the rise or thereabouts. No barrier reef there and you can go straight out.

There are probably more access points, but I have no really studied them as the one I pointed out is very convenient.

Yes, the area around Owen Island is a bust, but the area around the ball that Conch Club Divers uses has some neat stuff at times. Seen juvi Angels, squid, small stuff, etc.

I enjoy the south side. Spotted Lobster, blue Lettuce Sea Slugs, many juvi Yellow tailed Damsels, and more adult Drums.

 

[hynan]

I've done over 100 dives in Little Cayman. I agree with ZF2NT on the Southern Sites.

 

[BDSC]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I really appreciate it!

 

[-hh]

We have shore dived all the sites south of Pirates Point in Preston Bay....

Have not looked at going out from the Beach Resort but have considered swimming over to Owen Island fom Southern Cross, yomping round it & then swimming out to the markers there...

For clarity, while it is on the southside, the above probably means to be "WEST" of Pirate's Point.

I tried this about 15 years ago, there wasn't anything around Owen, it still is a ways to the reef from there, nothing exciting.

...Yes, the area around Owen Island is a bust, but the area around the ball that Conch Club Divers uses has some neat stuff at times...

Many (too many) years ago, I did a snorkelling swim/wade out to Owen Island, from 'Head of Bay'...no scuba gear or tank. It was not necessarily a trivial distance, although not being in deep water so that one could stand/wade does make it relatively safe...just utterly boring to get out there. I'd not want to ever do it again with the addition of full dive gear. For the area around Owen itself, there's some shallow snorkeling on the inside of the fringing reef, but to get to "real" deepwater if you want to do anything more, you either need to cross over (sea condition issues) or find a way through (likely current issues) ... long story short, a boat is a lot easier.

For west of Pirate's Point, I looked at this area a few years ago and I think that it wouldn't be bad, assuming favorable conditions (ie, wind from the North) for the shore entry/exit. Again, there's probably currents to manage - - and I agree with the other comments about the Southside sites being quite enjoyable ... and overshadowed by their famous Northside cousins. One reef site that I'd really enjoy getting back to would be Grundy's Gardens.



-hh